Need to clean your leather sofa, shoes, or anything else in a pinch? Many sites (even us!) recommend olive oil or peanut butter as a cure-all for your leather woes. The self-proclaimed leather-restoration experts over at Fibrenew argue that you're headed for disaster if you do. Sir Fibrenew, the Fibrenew mascot, explains:

Although leather does indeed become a little suppler after applying olive oil, this instant gratification comes with a price. Olive oil, and every oily substance for that matter, will not "nourish" your leather, but actually accelerate its deterioration. Leather is extremely permeable, and will soak up any oils you put on it. When oil first saturates leather, it seeps to the back-to the part you can't see. Eventually, the oil ends up spreading throughout the leather and naturally resurfaces. Once this happens, your leather will have unsightly oil spots.

That's not good. We love our clever, DIY cleaning solutions, but sometimes they're not quite as good as they seem. That's the case with oil, or oily substances like peanut butter. Keep them off your couches, shoes, and other leather.